One Life
by doctorwhoviansunite
Summary: Sequel to Hospitalized and Almost Human. The Doctor is seemingly starting to regenerate. But that shouldn't be possible... (Must read Hospitalized and Almost Human to understand it all) Rated T just to be safe
1. Chapter 1

**Here's the first chapter to the sequel as promised :3 Sorry it's so short. Again, it just seemed like a good place to end it.**

"Jack!" Rose wailed, staring down at the almost-dead Doctor. He had nearly stopped breathing, but his mouth glowed with an eerie golden dust. This confused her, as it was the starting stages of regeneration. But the medicine he took wasn't supposed to allow him to regenerate...

Jack burst through the room, eyes widening with shock as he saw the Doctor. "Oh my god..." he ran up to the bed. At first he thought the Doctor was dead until he noticed the glow coming from inside the Doctor's mouth. "Wait... but how-"

"I don't know." Rose shook her head, burying her face into the Doctor's chest. "Don't leave me... oh God please don't leave me." her tears fell onto his bare skin, rolling off his side and onto the light blue sheets. She gripped his hand, holding it tighter than she ever had before. She heard him let out a breath, and she looked up in hope. The glow light was flowing out of his mouth with a delicacy that was almost beautiful. But Rose knew better. She gaped in surprise as his hands began to turn a glowing yellow as well.

"Rose... get back." She heard Jack tell her in a low voice. She couldn't though. She felt frozen to the spot. Was he about to regenerate? And if so then how?

Rose braced herself for the familiar beams to burst from his skin, but none came. The glowing remained at a minimum, and the Doctor remained still.

"Jack, what's happening?" Rose asked, confused.

"I...I have no idea. If he was going to regenerate, it should have happened by now. But even this... the medicine he took said he wouldn't be able to regenerate!"

Rose rubbed her temple. "This is so weird.." She gasped as the Doctor started violently shaking and convulsing. His limbs started to spasm and his teeth started chattering.

"Doctor!" Rose reached out to touch him but Jack grabbed her, pulling her away from the bed. "What the hell are you doing?" she attempted to struggle out of his grip but to no avail.

"Rose, whatever's happening it can't be good. It's like he's stuck in some in between stage of regeneration... and his body is rejecting it." He looked at her sadly. "Whatever's about to happen, it can't be good. You need to stay away...I'm sorry."

"No!" Rose pushed forward but Jack's strong grip kept her from getting any closer to the man she loved. She let out a cry of anguish and emotional pain as she gave up.

"I'm sorry, Rosie." his grip turned into a tight, warming hug. "I'm so so sorry."

Rose sank into his arms, unable to hold herself upright from her intense crying. Jack rubbed her back comfortingly, and Rose felt his own tears land on her shoulder.

"Jack... what am I going to do without him..."

"It'll be alright, Rose." he tried to comfort her. "It'll be alright." he grabbed her hand and walked a bit closer to the Doctor when he realised he had stopped convulsing.

"Doctor?" Rose whispered. His hands were glowing more fiercely now, and the streams of light were coming out of his mouth in larger quantity. Rose approached warily, only to jumped back in surprise as the yellow beams shot out of his hands and head.

The Doctor was regenerating.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Okay. Once again I have to give a shoutout to Cabin6Girl. Out of all my followers and viewers she has been the most supportive and encouraging :) Thank you!**

**Warning: FLUFF**

"Rose!" Jack wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her away from the regenerating Doctor. He backed up against the wall, pulling Rose close to him and squinted his eyes against the bright light.

"How is this happening?!" Rose shouted over the piercing sound of the beams being shot out of the Doctor's body.

"No idea!" Jack shouted back. He felt Rose struggling to get out of his grip but he held tight. She would be in danger if she got any closer.

Rose's tears streamed harder and harder down her face. Partially in relief, partially distress. The Doctor was going to live - if the regeneration was successful - but it still wouldn't be him. He would change...again. She shut her eyes, ready for it all to be over.

Rose stared as the lights disappeared and the Doctor gasped. She looked away and closed her eyes, bracing herself for what she was about to see. Finally, she opened her eyes. She was amazed at what she saw.

The Doctor was still the same.

"Rose... come here." The Doctor said in a hoarse whisper.

Rose ran up to him. "But...how...you weren't supposed to and then... you didn't? What?" _Nothing makes sense! _Rose was so confused and thrilled at the same time.

The Doctor looked lost, then shook his head. "Wh-what do I look like?" he asked simply. He looked sadly down at his hands, then ran his fingers through his hair. At that moment, an even more bewildered expression stretched across his face. "Wait-"

"Doctor, you didn't change!" Rose exclaimed.

"I-I'm still me?" he looked up at her.

Rose smiled. "You're still you." she laughed and pulled him into a tight hug, then relaxing a bit as she heard him groan in pain. Nonetheless when she pulled back a bright, happy smile was on his face. "None of this makes sense!" Rose told him. "You weren't supposed to regenerate cos of that energy deficiency thing... and then when you did you really didn't. What the hell!?"

The Doctor laughed with an equally shocked look. "Regeneration energy deficiency... It didn't take away enough to keep me from regenerating, but enough to stop me from changing. Ha! Didn't see that comin' at all!"

Jack ran up to them. "Woohoo!" he suddenly sat down on the bed, grabbed the Doctor's face, and planted an awkward kiss on his lips before running off, leaving the Doctor and Rose alone.

"Blegh." the Doctor winced and wiped his mouth. "Why must he always do that?"

Rose laughed and hugged him again. "I told you you'd be okay."

The Doctor closed his eyes and rubbed her back comfortingly. "You were right." he chuckled. "I guess your stuck with me."

Rose sat back. "I think I can live with that." She smiled. "How do you feel?"

The Doctor shrugged. "Hurting, which is expected after regeneration, but I'm fine!" he threw his arms in the air to demonstrate. "Woohoo!" he yelled, mimicking Jack.

"Settle down, there." Rose said. "You need anything?" She asked as she stood up.

"Nah, I'm getting up anyways." He grunted as he threw his legs off the side of the bed and stood up. Rose instinctively reached out a hand to stabilize him.

"I'm good, I'm good." He swatted her hand away and took a wobbly step forward. He took another and slowly got more stable as he walked. He smiled. "Yep I'm good." He grabbed a fresh, light blue button-down shirt from the wardrobe, then slipped on his striped tie. He opened the upper doors and pulled out his blue jacket. He slipped it on, buttoned the front, then winked at his reflection in the mirror. "Oh, yes! The Doctor is back!"

* * *

"Oi! Slow down! You'll get a stomach ache!" Rose exclaimed as she watched the Doctor scarf down three sandwiches that she had made for him.

"I've not eaten in four days!" He mumbled around the ham, cheese, and white bread in his mouth. Some fell out and onto the table. He looked up guiltily at Rose, then picked up the pieces and shoved them back into his mouth.

"That's just gross." Rose said.

"Sorry!" he said sarcastically as he swallowed the last bite. Rose swooped in and grabbed his plate, placing it in the sink.

"So, when d'ya think you'll be up for some adventurin' again?" Rose asked with an eager grin.

"Soon. Just gotta give my body enough time to recover from...whatever that was." The Doctor answered.

"_Humanoid gene rewrite..._ what exactly did it rewrite?"

The Doctor hesitated. "To be quite honest I dunno." He raised an eyebrow. "Nothing really seems different. Maybe it didn't work?"

Rose just shrugged off the subject and sat down at the table with a sandwich of her own. After a few seconds of her eating, she looked over to see the Doctor with his head rested on his hand, staring at her.

"What?" She asked.

The Doctor smirked. "You're just so cute when you eat."

"You say as I talk with half a slice of baloney sticking out of my mouth." she mused.

He just laughed. "Where's old Jack gone off to?"

Rose shrugged. "Haven't seen him since he kissed you earlier." She bit her lip, trying to hold in a burst of laughter.

The Doctor glared at her. "We will _never _speak of that again."_  
_

"Yes sir." Rose said with a salute as she stood up again, adding her dirty plate to the ones accumulating in the sink. "Do you ever clean in here?" she scrunched up her nose in disgust.

"TARDIS usually does it for me. Gotta love the old girl." He pat the table as if it were a dog.

Rose noticed that the lights had dimmed a bit. "What's that?"

"Haven't you noticed it before? The TARDIS manipulates the lighting to coincide with earthly timing. I have it set on the same time zone as London."

"Nice."

"Sooo, judging on the lighting I'd say its uh, around 5:00 p.m. back in London perhaps?" he looked around a bit.

"Right." She stood up. "What do we do the rest of the night? Wanna take a shot at those domestics again?" she laughed at the memory.

"Yes actually!" The Doctor brightened up. "Right. Dinner and some telly."

"But we just ate," she gestured to the dirty plates.

"Oh yes. So just a film then?" he grinned.

"Why not." Rose smiled back as the Doctor took her hand, leading her to the library. "Since when do you have a telly in here?" she asked as they walked through the doorway.

"Since forever. Just had it tucked away for a while." He brushed the top of it as if wiping away dust before sinking back into the couch. "Come along!" he patted the spot next to him inviting Rose to sit down.

"Where's the remote?" Rose asked as she sat.

"Um, hello? Telepathic TARDIS? We just have to come up with what we want to watch and she'll turn it on for us." He winked.

"Alright then." Rose said, impressed. "Wotcha want to watch?"

The Doctor shrugged. "You choose."

Rose thought for a moment. "I heard _Fright Night _was good." at her voice, the telly suddenly flipped on, and Rose realised that she was watching the opening credits for _Fright Night. _

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "Kind of a violent film. Funny though."

Rose and the Doctor sat in silence, watching the movie. Rose found herself cuddled up next to the Doctor, using his hand as a blindfold when scary parts occurred.

"Oi. Rose I can't see." The Doctor laughed as she raised his arm in front of his eyes as well as her own.

"Sorry.." she lowered it cautiously, eyes watching the screen warily. The Doctor put his arm around her and held her tight. She seemed comforted.

Rose looked up at him, staring him right in the eyes, smiling. He smiled back, then leaned down and kissed his beautiful Rose.

"I love you." Rose told him after the kiss.

"I love you more." He kissed her again, more deeply this time.

"Oh, I don't think so." She kissed him back, her lips meeting his in a passionate spark. They sat there for a few more moments, lost in each other. Finally they both sat back with a loving glare pointed at one another before smiling and directing their attention back to the movie. As Rose slowly grew more and more tired, she rested her head on the Doctor's lap. She shivered at his touch as he stroked her blonde hair. After a few minutes of such peace and comfort, Rose drifted into a sound sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Again, those reviews make my day! :) Thanks for all the supporting ones I've gotten so far.**

The Doctor opened his heavy eyelids and found himself in the TARDIS library. He was on the couch, and the ending credits for Fright Night were on the television in front of him. He looked down to see Rose sound asleep, with her head resting in his lap. He smiled. _Must've been tired after barely sleepin' for three days_. He thought. Realising that she wouldn't get a good enough night's sleep here, he carefully stood up, rested her head back on the couch, then scooped her up into his arms and carried her gently to her bedroom. She groaned a couple of times, but didn't fully awake. Out of instinct her arms flew around his neck, and she buried her face in his chest, falling asleep once more. The Doctor pushed open her bedroom door with his foot and laid her down on the bed. He pulled the large, blue duvet up to her chin, then kissed her on the forehead. "Sleep well, Rose." Then he walked out and shut the door quietly behind him.

The Doctor headed straight for the console room, taking off his blue jacket and throwing it onto one of the beams. "Well, old girl." he said, realising how long it'd been since he'd worked on her. "Been too long." he smiled, then began his usual routine of repairing the TARDIS. Swapping out old parts for new on the console, wiping up some oil here and there, rewiring circuits for better flight and such. After what felt like maybe an hour of working, he heard movement and spun around to see Rose sleepily emerging from her room. "Mornin' Doctor." she muttered, rubbing her eyes.

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "Morning? Its still-" Only then did he notice the brighter lighting in the TARDIS. It was morning. Boy did time fly sometimes. "Oh. Well nevermind then. Morning!" he laughed, walking up to her. "Sleep well?" He asked, greeting her with a hug. Rose pulled back and smiled.

"Yeah. First time I've slept that good in days." she mused. The Doctor smiled back before kissing her on the cheek and grabbing her hand, walking back to the center of the console room. He leaned up against one of the beams.

"Right then! Where do ya want to go today?" he asked, giddy with excitement. His first real adventure in two weeks. He was long overdue.

Rose raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're up to it? 't's only been a day." She knew he was eager to get back to all the adventuring, but she had to make sure he didn't push it. She wouldn't put it past him to head single-handedly into a whole Dalek fleet right this very moment.

"Positive!" he said. "I feel absolutely fantastic!"

"If you say so." She stuck up tongue in between her teeth with her trademark smile. "I'll just go and get dressed. Be right back." And with that she slipped back into her bedroom, leaving the Doctor alone.

He sighed, sitting in a chair on the far side of the room, staring into the distance. "Oh, Rose. I can't believe what you've done to me," he muttered, barely a whisper. He had never felt this way towards any of his companions...well...anyone really. Sure, there had been one or two women who he certainly felt he liked more that just a mate, but Rose had captivated his heart in a way he had never experienced. He close his eyes, smiling at just her image in his mind. Her big, brown eyes, her beautiful flowing blonde hair, and her peppy and excited personality. He couldn't get his mind off of her. She was just absolutely beautiful on the outside and in.

Rose's presence brought his attention back to reality. He looked up to see her standing right in front of him, looking dazzling as ever. She was changed out of her previous t-shirt and sweats, and wore a low-cut, light blue top with an unzipped grey jacket, dark blue jeans and her usual converse shoes. Rose caught him staring at her. "Oi, eyes up, soldier." She laughed, and he laughed back doing as she requested. He stood up, and looked her straight in her beautiful, shining eyes, then leaned down as their lips met in a kiss. "So what, you just goin' to snog me every time we see each other?" she smirked. "Not that I'm complainin'." The Doctor didn't answer, just smiled and kissed her again quickly before walking back towards the controls.

"So! What do you say we just throw some random coordinates and see where we land?" he raised his eyebrows.

Rose just laughed. "Why not." she grabbed his hand, and the Doctor squeezed it tight in response. He pressed a couple buttons, flipped a couple switches then placed his free hand on a large lever. He pulled it then yelled;

"Allons-y!"

* * *

"Next time, how about we don't set the coordinates to random."

Rose ran hand in hand with the Doctor as they were being pursued by two Slitheen. The TARDIS had taken them to the planet Raxacoricofallapatorious, in the earlier days before the Doctor had defeated them, and blimey they were angry. The Doctor hadn't bothered to the the readings on the small screen near the TARDIS controls before running outside with Rose. As soon as they had emerged, the Slitheen had been upon them.

"Agreed." The Doctor said, pulling Rose along hoping to successfully outrun the large green creatures. They were surrounded by nothing but rocks and mountains - a more desolate section of the planet. The two Slitheen chasing them had seemed to be the only ones near by. The Doctor hadn't been able to snag the chance to scan for alien tech, so he had no way of knowing for sure, but he sure did hope they were the only ones. Two were enough.

"Look over there." Rose said, gasping in effort as her legs began to run in a different direction. They rounded a corner, and the Doctor glanced back anxiously to make sure the creatures were not directly upon them, and was pleased to find they were a good ways back. "Little cave. Maybe they'll pass up." Rose pointed to a small gap in the side of a miniature mountain. Realising they were too tired to run much more, and deciding it was their best chance, he ran into the cave, not letting go of Rose's hand. The Doctor felt confused as he realised he had grown very tired much quicker than normal. Usually his two hearts allowed him much more energy. He wondered if it could perhaps have something to do with his recent transition, but concluded that it must be that he was still just weak from his failed regeneration.

It was dark in the cave, and the only light source he had was his sonic screwdriver. Worried the noise may attract the Slitheen, he let it remain in his pocket and ventured further into darkness with his free hand running along the wall. He felt the ground in front of him with his feet before taking each real step forward. After deciding they were far enough into the cave, he slid down the wall, ready for a rest.

"Well, that was fun." Rose said with a short laugh in between deep breaths. The Doctor rubbed and patted her back in hopes of helping get the air flowing properly again. After a few minutes, Rose's breathing slowed and she opened her mouth to speak. "Long overdue as well."

The Doctor rested his full body weight against the wall. "Yeah." he sighed. Even though he missed the adventuring and the rush of the danger, there was still...well danger. He feared for Rose, even though knowing there was not much point. She was a strong, young woman. She had handled herself out here with him for over 2 years, and had always been fine in the end. Rose's voice broke into his thoughts.

"So do we just stay here til they leave or something?" Rose asked. The Doctor peered outside to see the lights dimming.

"Might as well stay here for the night, just to be safe." he told her with a regretful sigh. "Not gonna be very comfy," he said, looking at the bare stone floor. "But better a stiff back in the mornin' than death by Slitheen."

"Yeah." Rose chuckled, yawning at the same time.

"Wanna go ahead and get some sleep? If we do we should wake up early enough to get back to the TARDIS before those things are up and about again." he felt himself yawning as well, despite the 3 straight days of sleep he had gotten recently, and with his superior Time Lord system that allowed him to go days without even a kip. This surprised him, but he blew it off.

Rose nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty tired from all that runnin'." she laid back, flinching a bit at the cold stone floor against her cheek.

The Doctor, realising how cold she probably was, took off his long brown coat and his blue jacket. He placed the coat over Rose, then laid the Jacket down as a place for them to rest their heads. Rose sat up a bit. "Aren't you cold?" she asked, but the Time Lord shook his head.

"Nah. Time Lord remember?" but the Doctor actually felt quite chilled for a change. He began to accept the fact that maybe the transition had had some affect on him.

Rose accepted the comment and laid back down. The Doctor did the same, smiling as he found his head just inches away from her face. He couldn't resist a quick kiss on the lips. "'Night, Rose. I love you." he kissed her on the forehead then laid flat on his back. Rose cuddled up closer to him to help herself get a bit warmer. She lifted her head up, then rested it on his chest, using it as a pillow.

Then she froze.

His heartbeat beneath her ear was different than before. Abnormal. Didn't exactly seem slower or faster, but just... different. She listened closer, then realised what was going on. She sat up. "Doctor?"

He looked at her a bit concerned. "Yeah?"

"I-I think that transition worked after all... at least partially."

He raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Rose gulped.

"You've only got one heart."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hehe... I can't stop it with the whump and fluff... so much fluff... :3 Please review. Tell me what you want/ are expecting to happen in the future of the fic. :)**

"Don't be so daft, Rose." The Doctor mused, knitting his eyebrows.

"Doctor..." Rose gave him a serious look. "I'm serious." she said cautiously. She couldn't believe it. One heart. Single heartbeat instead of the double she was so used to. She couldn't believe it had taken them this long to figure it out.

Eyes suddenly growing curious, he placed the base of his palm to the left side of his chest, then the right. His eyes widened. "What the hell!?"

Rose shook her head. "How could we have missed this? I mean, didn't anything feel different? A whole heart is gone!"

"I-I don't know. I guess I grew used to it when the transition was happening or somethin'...? I don't know." he buried his face in his hands.

"So does this make you...er...human?" she asked a bit hesitantly.

The Doctor shook his head. "No, I've still got a Time Lord brain, and internal physical characteristics besides the single heart... well... as far as I know." he squeezed his eyes shut. "I don't even know anymore."

Rose rubbed his back with one hand comfortingly. "It'll be alright." she told him. "So, besides the obvious, are there any repercussions of only having one heart?"

He sighed. "I'm not entirely sure. I'll have to figure it out as we go along I suppose." he closed his eyes, and laid back down. "Let's try to get some sleep. We'll figure this all out when we get back to the TARDIS tomorrow." And with that, Rose laid her head on him again, and closed her eyes. The Doctor took a deep breath and did the same, a bit disturbed at how quick sleep consumed him.

* * *

"Get in! Get in!" The Doctor called Rose into the TARDIS and she leaped inside, barely escaping the Slitheen's claws. He thought he heard her yelp a bit but figured he was imagining it. He slammed the doors shut and locked them, breathing heavily as he leaned his back up against a pillar. "You alright?" he looked over at her to see her panting, with her hands on her knees. She stood up at his voice.

"Yeah, I'm good. You?"

"Fine," he nodded reassuringly, but secretly he felt as if he were about to pass out. The lack of heart - quite literally - kept his adrenaline much lower, and made him physically exhausted much quicker. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding singular heart. After a moment, and a glass of water, he was okay. He looked back at Rose to see her smiling. "What?" he asked.

"Just watching you get used to the new you..." she hesitated. "Is it wrong that I find that a bit amusing?" she bit her lip.

He laughed. "Nah. I'd probably think it funny as well if I were in your shoes." He walked over beside her and grabbed her hand. As he did he saw her wince, and withdrew his hand. "What's wrong?" he asked, concern rimming his voice.

"Nothin'." she said, not meeting his gaze.

"Rose?" He then looked down at his palm to see it stained with blood. At first he thought it to be his own, until he noticed a slow steady drip of the scarlet substance coming from Rose's hand. "What happened?" he turned her hand over to see a long gash across it. Rose pulled away, wincing again.

"'t's nothin'." she told him. "Just got it while we were running about earlier."

"How did you get it?!" he demanded, his voice edge with worry.

She looked away.

"Rose." His voice hardened with a mixture of anger and concern. He saw Rose take a deep breath before opening her mouth.

"The Slitheen."

His eyes widened and he examined her hand closer. It was swollen, but not too badly. He grabbed her other hand, "Infirmary. Now." And started pulling her in that direction.

"Doctor, stop fussin'. It's just a cut."

He shook his head as he sat her in a chair. "No. Slitheen scratches can be very dangerous. Infection from a venom-type substance in there claws can bring upon a terrible sickness if not treated quickly. Luckily, I'm able to get to this in time, no thanks to you if I might add."

Rose dropped her gaze to the floor. "Sorry.. I just didn't want to worry you."

The Doctor grabbed her chin and gently pulled it up so he could look her straight in the eye. "Rose, it's my job to worry about you. It's what happens when you..." he cleared his throat. "When you love someone."

Touched by the comment, Rose couldn't resist a smile. The Doctor disinfected her hand then wrapped it in a thick white bandage. She felt a sting in her forearm and looked over to see the Doctor injecting it. She tried to pull away but the Doctor held her steady. "Sorry," he said, pulling it out and stepping back. Rose rubbed her arm then saw the Doctor toss the supplies aside. "Right then. Good as new." he winked, then his smile faltered. "Please tell me next time, alright? I-I don't want to risk things getting bad. Back when we were on Justacia-"

"Doctor." She put her good hand on top of his. "I will... and I'm sorry again." she smiled, then stood up, grasping his hand to help herself to her feet. As soon as she was up, the Doctor grabbed her waist, pulling her close. Rose squeaked a bit in surprise but didn't protest in the least. They kissed passionately for a few seconds before stepping backwards. The Doctor noticed the dim lighting surrounding them.

"Probably best we got some sleep." he said, and Rose nodded in reply. Rose started to walk a separate direction, towards her room, but she felt the Doctor's tight grasp on her hand pulling her back. She looked at the Doctor, and he returned her gaze deeply. "Come with me."

"What?"

"Come stay the night with me... I'm not saying to do... you know anything. Just to be in each others presence... Unless you want something to happen... well... no let's just enjoy each other's company... we can...er...snuggle... not snuggle that sounds rubbish... just...ugh." he closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Forget I said anything." he began to walk away, but he heard footsteps following him and a hand grasp his. He saw Rose staring up at him.

"Snuggling sounds nice." she teased him, but kept walking with him anyways. The Doctor's heart leaped as they entered his bedroom. He decided that he _didn't _want anything other than innocence happening tonight. He just wanted Rose... his Rose... by his side.

They both climbed into bed, a bit awkwardly at first, but soon settled in together. Rose laid facing away from the Doctor. Almost instantaneously she felt arm wrapped around her body, and his hot breath on the back of her neck. She shivered at his touch, then closed her eyes.

The Doctor kissed the top of her head before resting his head back on the pillow. "Goodnight, Rose."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: So, I may not be updating for a couple of days, and I even had to cut this chapter short a bit. I hurt my arm in a martial arts tournament this morning and it hurts like hell to type :/**

Rose rolled out of bed and hit the ground with a thump. "Ow." she muttered, not pleased with the way she had been awoken. She sat up slowly and crawled back into bed to find that the Doctor was still sleeping soundly. Usually, when he slept at all, he was up hours before she was. But his new part-human system now required much more rest than he was used to. Rose sat down on top of the covers, wide awake now. She smiled at her sleeping companion and brushed a lock of dark brown hair out of his face. Her touch made him shiver, and she couldn't resist a giggle as she pulled the blue duvet up closer to his chin. The lighting in the room told her that it was late morning.

She leaned her head back against the headboard, brushing the side of the Doctor's face with her hand. "Doctor," she woke him gently

"Hmm," his eyes stayed closed.

"Doctor, time to wake up."

"Rose," he opened his eyes slightly. "It's the middle of the night."

Rose laughed. "No, Doctor. It's late morning. We overslept."

At that, his eyes shot open and he bolted upright. "Late morning?" he noticed the lighting in the room. "How the hell did I sleep that late! I'm a Time Lord! I barely sleep at all!"

"But you're not." she reminded him gently. "You're part human now. You need more sleep than you did than when you were fully Time Lord." her heart twisted as she saw his gaze lower in despair.

The Doctor leaned his head against the headboard and scooted closer to Rose, then closed his eyes. He sighed. "Yeah."

Rose tried to cheer him up. "So, where we goin' today?"

He eyed her. "How's your hand?" he looked down at her right hand which was still wrapped in bandages.

She shrugged. "Still hurts a bit, but not near as bad as yesterday." she gave him an encouraging smile.

"Can I see?" he took her hand without waiting for a response, slowly unwinding the white gauze, being mindful not to cause her any discomfort. He grabbed his glasses off of the bedside table, and slipped them on to get a closer look. The scratch was clean and the swelling had gone down. Rose still seemed to be in a bit of pain - he could tell as he saw her wince at his touch - but his heart soard to find they had beaten the infection. "Look's good." he commented as he wrapped the badage back around her hand, then set it back in her lap.

They leaned in for a quick kiss before throwing their legs off the side of the bed and getting up. "So. As for where we're going," The Doctor began as he grabbed a fresh shirt, jacket, and trousers out of the wardrobe, "I'm wanting to pop back to New Earth."

"What for?" Rose asked. He hesitated for a moment.

"There's a specific nurse there that has a knowledge on the Time Lords... I'm wondering if she's ever seen a case like mine. Maybe, just maybe, she'll know of some way to reverse it."

Rose raised and eyebrow. "What do you mean reverse it?"

"I mean exactly that. Undo the changes it made to my system. I hate being like this. It's so uncomfortable. One heart. Just one. How do you humans cope?" he knit his eyebrows as he pulled on a white button-down shirt.

Rose looked away. She secretly liked this Doctor. The half-human Doctor. It made him seem less foreign to her... less... different. She loved him regardless, but she couldn't help but feel as if they'd have a happier life together if he were part human. She suddenly remembered a question she had wanted to ask him. "So, does the half-human thing affect aging? You know since you can't regenerate?"

He nodded. "The way I am now, I'll grow old and never regenerate. If I die, that's it."

Just like she thought. If he stayed the same, they could have an almost-normal life together. They could grow old together. Be happy...but obviously not being a full Time Lord made him unhappy, and if he wanted to try and change back, so did she.

The Doctor noticed her sudden silence and change in expression. "You alright?"

Rose shook her head, trying to clear it, then nodded and brought a smile back to her face. "Yeah. So New Earth then?"

"Yup!" he said, popping the _p. _He ran in the direction of the console room and Rose followed, a bit reluctantly. When she arrived the Doctor was already setting the coordinates for New Earth. The TARDIS leaped into acting and Rose was thrown off her feet, hitting the floor with a small laugh. The Doctor helped her up. "Alright. Let's go." He grinned and grabbed her hand, and ran out the TARDIS doors.

Rose laughed as the wind swept her hair back. It was just like she remembered it last time. Memories flooded through her as she remembered her first date with the new Doctor. They had come here. It hadn't been the most pleasant trip, being possessed by Casandra and all, but Rose cherished the memories regardless.

"Off we go then!" The Doctor broke into her thoughts and grabbed her hand, running off with her just at they had done before.

Minutes later they were at the same hospital they had gone to previously. The familiar cat/nun/nurses roamed the area. The sight of them still made Rose shiver with unease.

"Ah, Matron." Rose heard the Doctor say as he greeted one of the nurses. She zoned out a bit as the Doctor explained his situation. She sat in a chair and watched them talk. _It's for his own good. It's what he wants._ She kept telling herself, but she couldn't shake the thought that they would be happier if he remained this way.

_But it's what will make you happy. Not him. _She had to keep telling herself that.

Rose then looked back at the Doctor and Matron. They seemed to be having a normal conversation.

The she caught sight of the nurse's hand.

It was gripping a gun.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Advil that I took today worked wonders :D so I'm able to update ;)**

"Doctor, look out!" Rose gasped and hopped to her feet, then ran in the direction of Matron and pushed her to the ground. The gun remained in it's holster, and Matron's hand flew off of it. Rose kept a watchful eye on her but couldn't help but notice the Doctor's astonished expression.

"Rose! What the hell was that for?!" he yelled.

"She had a gun, you idiot! She was about to shoot!" she exclaimed defensively.

The Doctor shook his head then reached a hand down to Matron. She huffed and pushed it away, getting up on her own. "Rose, of course she had a gun. Ever since our last visit here, with those really sick people remember? - anyways ever since then it has been standard policy to carry a firearm at all times." he told her sternly. "Can't say I agree with it, but she had every right to have that gun. You owe her an apology."

Rose's cheeks burned with humiliation. But she could have sworn she was about to shoot! Her hand was on the gun! Well, now that Rose really thought about it, her hand was _resting _on the gun, but not holding it. She realised she had just made a huge mistake. "I-" she looked at the Doctor then back at Matron. "I'm really sorry. I can get a bit carried a way sometimes as you can see..." she looked the floor trying to contain her embarrassment.

Matron scoffed. "Why I never imagined your own companion could have such a lack of manners." she brushed off her white clothing, eyeing Rose.

"I know. I'm really sorry." the Doctor said as he regrettably watched Matron walk away in discuss. His words made Rose burn with rage.

"Oi! Don't apologize for me! I said I was sorry and that's that. I was _trying _to protect you!"

He shook his head.

"Sorry for trying to keep you safe." she was cross.

"Well don't anymore." he turned on her.

"Why? I love you remember? Unless you'd forgotten. I'd do anything I could to keep you safe."

His voice was almost a scream "Then _stop _loving me! The last time you tried to protect me you nearly died! I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH TO BEAR TO LOSE YOU, ROSE!" tears stung his eyes as he remembered the dread of losing the love of his life when she had taken the blow of a Justacian gun for him. He closed his eyes and shook his head again. He opened his eyes and stared defiantly into hers. "I can't lose you. I just can't." She seemed to be in total shock. She stared at him blankly with watering eyes, as if she didn't even know what to say or think.

The Doctor grabbed her hand, realising what such a small action had turned into. "Come on." they walked hand in hand back out of the hospital. There was silence for a while until Rose decided to speak up.

"Was Matron able to help you at all before I...er... scared her off?"

The Doctor smiled, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. "It's alright. And yes, a little bit. She said that she didn't have a ton of knowledge about that, and had never seen my situation before, but told me about someone who could..." his voice drifted off.

"Who?"

"Never got a name. She said that he'd be in that direction though." he pointed his finger to a cluster of large buildings far in the distance. "Western side of New New York. Never been there myself. Heard it's not the safest place."

"Why?"

"Judoon run the place." he said. "Anyone who isn't at least part human are gunned down on sight."

"Well, luckily you are part human." Rose nudged him.

He shook his head. "It's a Time Lord thing. They never were quite friendly with the Judoon... long story. Not sure if I should risk it."

Rose's eyes stretched wide. "Since when do you care about danger?"

The Doctor gave her a look. _Since I realised how I felt about you_. It seemed to say.

She sighed. "This is what you want. You're obviously not happy as part human. If this is what you want then we've got to do it."

He smiled. "Thank you, Rose. It really is." he ran back to the TARDIS with Rose close on his heels. "Short cut." he winked. Rose sighed with relief at the fact that they didn't have to walk all that way. The TARDIS leaped into action after dematerializing. Moments later it landed on rocky earth, and Rose opened the doors, a bit crestfallen as she saw the desolate area. She slammed them shut again as she saw several Judoon pacing around.

"Careful." The Doctor warned. "Very very bad if they caught us." he looked thoughtful. "How many were out there?"

"Not too many, but enough to cause a problem." she told him.

He nodded. "Ok. Our only chance is to run." he walked up in front of the door and grabbed her hand. "Ready?"

Rose gulped. "Ready."

"Allons-y!" he yanked the door open. "Run!" making sure he shut the TARDIS doors behind them, they ran through the crowds of people and Judoon. A few of them yelled at the companions, but they made it through with fair ease. "Ta da," the Doctor said as they made it on the other side of a gate, safe from the pursuing Judoon.

Rose laughed. She looked at the landscape ahead. "Where do we-" she was cut off as something hit her in the back of her head causing her to collapse.

"Rose!" she heard the Doctor's frantic call, which was cut short as she heard a bang, and the Doctor collapsed beside her.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: _To Cabin6Girl:_ (you really need to get an actual account so I can message you :P) Yes I already have a plan. My stories are planned out from the beginning ^.^ As for Jack, I have that planned out as well so you'll just have to read on. *smirks* And yes, I've been doing martial arts since I was 6 :D (Get a bloody account so that I can PM you xD)**

Rose gasped as her eyes shot open. She was laying on her stomach on the cold hard ground, shirtless. She rolled over over to find she was in nothing but her bra and jeans. Her pockets were emptied, so she figured she must have been searched.

She slowly sat up to find that her head was pounding. She looked around to find she was in a cell. Nothing but concrete and a small window besides the iron bars that prevented her escape. Her aching head reminded her of the previous events. The escape from the Judoon, being knocked out and then-

_The Doctor!_

Rose stood up on wobbly legs and walked over to the bars, looking left and right down the halls. "Oi! Let me out of here!" she yelled. She half expected to see the Doctor running down from the hall with his sonic screwdriver, unlocking her cell and freeing her. But he didn't come. Rose hoped he was safe and nearby. "Doctor!" she called, but heard no reply. She sighed, then sat down, resting her bare back against the cold wall trying to calm the pain in the back of her head. She prayed the Doctor was safe and on his way, but all she could do now was wait. She closed her eyes.

_Please be okay, Doctor._

* * *

"Ow."

The Doctor groaned as he was taken back into consciousness. He found himself restrained in a standing position inside a large stone-lined room. He was in a long metal chair with straps going horizontally across his body.

"No, not the straps again. I really do hate the straps." He sighed and looked around the room. Machinery aligned the wall not too far from him, and monitors and gadgets were everywhere. He still couldn't tell where he was. A sudden voice broke into his thoughts.

"Don't. Move."

The Doctor looked over to see a boy - no more than a teenager - holding a gun in front of him with his finger on the trigger. He was tall, and had long black hair that fell in front of his eyes.

"I said don't move!" the boy shouted.

"Well, hello, there. I'm the Doctor." the Doctor greeted him casually.

"I said don't move." The boy raised his gun and gripped it tighter in warning.

"Oi, alright. No need for the gun. "'ts not like I can do anything anyways." he struggled a bit in his straps for example.

The boy seemed to relax, and he lowered the gun. "What are you doing here?"

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "You're asking me?" he looked around. "Last thing I remember was being knocked out with... oh no." _Rose!_

"What is it?"

"This girl. I had this girl with me. Blonde, blue shirt, beautiful..." he shook his head. "Is she here?"

The boy shrugged. "I saw my dad bringing in some bloke and a young woman - must have been you and her - but I've no clue where she is." he raised his gun again. "But even if I did, why would I tell you? Who are you?"

"I told you. I'm the Doctor."

"Yeah, but Doctor who?"

The Doctor sighed. "Just 'The Doctor'. Listen, I really need to find my friend. Can you help me out of here?"

"Why the hell would I do that? My dad must have had a reason for bringing you here. What did you do?"

"It was a misunderstanding. Who is your dad?"

"Doctor Elliot Roads. Alien tech specialist."

The Doctor closed his eyes and rested his head back. "Oh. That makes sense now."

"What?"

The Doctor shook his head again and opened his eyes. "Don't worry about it. Just, please. Can you get me out of here? I've got to find my friend."

The boy looked thoughtful. "My dad'd kill me if he found out."

"Where is he?"

"Said he had to get somethin' and that he'd been gone a while,"

"And how long ago was that."

He shrugged. "I dunno, twenty minutes?"

"Then that'll give us enough time. What was your name?"

"Jacob."

"Well, Jacob, I'm going to say this as gently as I can, but what your dad is doing is very wrong. For all I know my friend could be hurt, and I have to find her. Please help me." The Doctor hated begging - it made him feel weak - but he had to do whatever it took to find Rose.

Jacob sighed, thought for a moment, then nodded. "Very well." he put the pistol in its holster and undid the Doctor's straps, freeing him. The Doctor stood up and cracked his neck, then shook out his stiff limbs.

"Much better." he smiled. "So, this friend of mine, she's human. Pure human. Any idea where he would have taken her?"

"Probably the lab for testing, then to the holding cells."

"Testing?" he asked a bit fearfully.

Jacob nodded. "Yeah. Same as he was going to do to you. He does it on everyone he brings in. Since she's human he probably would have taken her down to the cells after that."

The Doctor cringed. "Sounds like your dad makes a habit of this then?"

Jacob closed his eyes briefly. "Yeah."

"Will you take me to the cells?"

Jacob hesitated.

"Please, Jacob. I have to find her."

He nodded. "Come with me."

**A/N: Good spot to end this chapter, but I think I'm gonna go ahead and write another tonight :) **


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I would have posted this earlier but the site got glitchy and wouldn't let me :P Please review! I love reviews. Reviews are cool. (It won't let me bold this for some reason)

Rose shivered. The room was growing colder as a cool draft crept in through the open window. She wrapped her hands around her body, trying to keep in the little warmth she had. She sighed, leaning her head back against the wall again, then closed her eyes, letting sleep consume her.

* * *

"Right in here." Jacob opened a metal door and led the Doctor inside.

A large hallway stretched before the Doctor with cells aligning the walls on either side. He took a couple wary steps forward, peeking in the cells. He was both pleased and crestfallen to find them empty. No sign of Rose, but at least there weren't more people being held here. "Rose?" he called out. The only reply was the sound of shuffling on the ground in one of the cells further up. Taking it as a sign of hope, the Doctor rushed ahead. He gasped as he glanced in a cell and saw a shirtless, sleeping Rose.

"Oh, Rose." he muttered sadly. "Rose, can you hear me?" Her legs shuffled and her eyelids fluttered open.

"Doctor," she said with relief. "You're okay!"

"Of course I am. You alright?"

"Yeah, just get me out of here. It's bloody freezing." as she wrapped her hands around her body again she suddenly remembered her lack of top. "Well, this is awkward."

The Doctor laughed. "Don't worry about it." he thought she looked quite beautiful, but respected her privacy. "Jacob do you mind giving us a moment?"

Jacob gave an understanding nod. "Of course. By the way, is this yours?" he pulled a small silver device with a blue light out of his back pocket. The Doctor reached into his pockets and realised his sonic screwdriver was absent from them. He took it from Jacob with a laugh.

"Thank you!" with that, Jacob walked away and leaned against the door frame.

The Doctor soniced the cell door open. He noticed Rose wince at the sound, but ignored the action and crouched down beside her. "You ok?"

She nodded "Yes." she crossed her arms over her chest a bit self consciously. "You wouldn't happen to have something for me to slip on would you?"

The Doctor laughed. "You don't have to be embarrassed you know." he look off his pin-striped brown suit and handed it to her. She took it gratefully and sat up so she could slip it on.

"So what happened?"

The Doctor shrugged. "Dunno about you, but I've been strapped to a very uncomfortable chair for a while." he laughed as he held out a hand to help her up. "Memories, eh?"

Rose laughed lightly, then grabbed his hand to pull herself up. The Doctor's stomach turned worriedly as he noticed her struggle. "You sure you're ok?"

She nodded. "Just got a headache."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes. He had been hit in the head, same as her, and only felt slight remaining discomfort. Then again, he was still part Time Lord, which would have prevented the blow from causing much damage. Rose may have just been hit harder as well. "Well, let's get you out of here then." Rose stumbled forward and he put a hand on her shoulder to help keep her steady. They walked out of the door to find Jacob still at his place in the doorway. He glanced at Rose then turned to the Doctor.

"She alright?"

The Doctor just nodded. "Yes. I've just got to get her back to the TAR...er...my house."

Jacob ignored the mistake. "Alright. You should hurry. No telling when my dad might be back."

"Who are you then?" Rose asked suddenly.

"Jacob Roads." he told her with a small smile. "Helped your friend out here." he nodded towards the Doctor. "My dad is the one who brought you here. I don't agree with what he's doing - I think it's wrong - but he could be back soon so you really need to go."

"Won't he suspect it was you?"

Jacob shrugged. "Nah. I was playin' video games when he left, so I'll just go back to that and pretend I'd been there the whole time."

The Doctor smiled. "We really appreciate-"

"Just go!" Jacob got behind them and gave them a small shove out the door. "My dad could be back any minute!"

The Doctor laughed and broke into a light jog, keeping a watchful eye on Rose as she ran beside him. He noticed her shaking her head a few times and closing her eyes as if fighting off dizziness. He made a mental note to take the time to do a proper look-over once they were safely out of there.

Jacob led them up stairs to the front door of the large building. He glanced out the window briefly before turning back to them. "Ok. My dad's not here yet, but he could be here soon. You need to go. Now."

The Doctor stepped out the door with Rose and cast a final glance at Jacob. "Thank you so much."

"Don't worry about it. Now go!" he shut the door and the Doctor heard his footsteps running away. He turned back around and did a quick scan of the territory ahead of them. Some Judoon in the distance, but not much of a problem, and no sign of Dr. Roads. He took this as a good sign and started walking forward warily.

Rose followed. The world seemed to start becoming more and more distant, and she fought the urge to close her eyes. She felt wobbly as she walked behind the Doctor, and spoke up a bit reluctantly. "Doctor, can I sit down for a mo?"

The Doctor looked at her with a concerned expression as he noticed a slight slur in her words. "What's wrong?"

"Just my headache. And I'm a bit tired. Just need a moment." she blinked a few times and shifted her weight a bit.

The Doctor put a steadying hand on her shoulder. He looked over to find a large boulder and sat her down on it. "Just your head?" he asked as he pulled a small light out of his pocket.

Rose nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine, I just need to sit down for a minute." she assured him.

The Doctor ignored her as he shined the light in her eyes briefly.

"Oi, turn that off. Doesn't exactly make my head feel any better." she closed her eyes briefly before glaring at him.

The Doctor put it away. "Dilated pupils, slurred speech, headache, dizziness, Rose you got a concussion from that blow."

"Nah, I'm fine. Just a bit tired."

"Exactly. Rose all signs point to a mild concussion. We've got to get you back to the TARDIS. You need rest."

"Again, I'm just fine." she stood up to prove her point, but instantly regretted it as she lost her balance and toppled over.

The Doctor caught her and stood her up, then put her arm around his shoulders. "Come on, you stubborn thing." he walked forward, matching her slow pace. Rose just sighed and didn't protest.

* * *

"Jacob!" Jacob dropped his game controller and gasped at the angry voice.

"Yes?!" he called back through his bedroom door. The door burst open and his dad stepped through, face red with rage.

"Where are they?"

Jacob's heart pounded. "I dunno what you're-"

His dad slammed his hand on the wall. "Don't lie to me, boy! Tell me where they are!"

* * *

After maybe twenty minutes of slow walking, the Doctor and Rose found themselves back at the gate bordering the Judoon patrol and the rest of the city. The TARDIS rested on the opposite side of the 5 pacing soldiers.

"How's your head?" The Doctor asked Rose who was leaning on him.

"Fine. I'm fine. Just need sleep."

The Doctor sighed, then lifted his head as he heard a voice.

"Thought you could get away, could you?!"

The Doctor spun around to see a man standing a ways in the distance. He noticed Jacob with him, who struggled beneath his father's firm grip on the back of his neck. Jacob had a black eye. It was obvious he had been beaten. "I'm so sorry," Jacob said.

If the Doctor would have known the man was violent in any way, he would never have left him behind. "Jacob! Are you alright?"

"Don't talk to my traitor of a son!" Dr. Roads called, tightening his grip on the boy. "Now. It's either with me, or with the Judoon. And it doesn't seem like your friend there is up for much running."

The Doctor cast a regretful glance at his companion as he noticed her eyes barely open. She was leaning heavily against his side, looking disoriented. The Doctor kissed the top of her head. "Hang in there." Her only response was a blink, and the Doctor's concern grew as he noticed her lack of awareness.

"Well?" The man called again.

The Judoon were still unaware of the situation, as they were too far away to hear the shouting. The Doctor looked at them, then back at Dr. Roads. If he went with him, he and Rose would be separated and restrained, and there was no telling what would be done to the two of them. If they headed for the TARDIS, they risked being struck down by the Judoon... but at least they had a chance of making it to safety.

They had to go for it.

The Doctor looked back at Jacob. His expression was angry and determined, instead of the sad and hurt face the Doctor had been expecting.

Go. The look seemed to say. With a regretful sigh the Doctor swung open the gate. "C'mon, Rose. We've got to go."

Rose blinked herself back inter awareness but lost her balance at her first step. The Doctor sighed and picked her up, and she threw her arms around his neck in instinct. "What the hell are you doing?"

The Doctor didn't answer, just ran. As they came into viewing point of the Judoon, they raised their guns. "Intruders!" A couple shots fired but missed the Doctor. The TARDIS was close now. He was almost there. His arms grew tired but he pressed on. When he made it to the doors of the TARDIS, they swung open without being unlocked. He whispered a silent thanks to his living ship as he slammed the doors shut behind him, and sat Rose down in a chair.

He cracked the door open slightly to see the Judoon running frantically searching for them. He saw Elliot Roads cursing loudly, but not in there direction. He was screaming at a fleeing Jacob, who had apparently escaped his grasp and was running away.

The Doctor sighed in relief. Thank you. He told the boy silently before shutting the doors and turning back to Rose. "You ok?" he crouched beside her.

"Mmhmm." she closed her eyes.

The Doctor grabbed her wrist and rested two fingers on her pulse. He put her arm back in her lap then put his hands under her arms, hauling her up. "C'mon. Let's get you to bed." She rose to her feet and walked slowly alongside the Doctor to her bedroom. He got her settled into bed then grabbed her hand comfortingly. "I'll be right back. Try to stay awake just for a mo."

He returned a moment later with a bucket and a wet flannel. "Concussions can cause a bit of nausea," he commented, setting the bucket on the bedside table. Rose's only reply was a tired grunt in understanding. "Here. You'll be more comfortable in this." he sat her up and took off the suit that was covering her. She drew in a short breath in surprise but relaxed as the Doctor handed her a shirt. She pulled it on then flopped back onto the bed.

"Can I sleep now?" she asked, rubbing her eye.

"Hold on. Can you flip over on your stomach?"

Rose sighed and rolled over, burying her face in the pillows.

The Doctor parted her blonde hair on the back of her head, examining the blow that had been taken to her. A bit of dried blood resulted on his fingertips, but it wasn't much. He grabbed the cloth and rubbed it on the spot gently before moving his thumbs around the spot so that he could see the blow more clearly.

After a few minutes of examining and keeping Rose awake, the Doctor rubbed her arm. "Only a minor concussion. You'll be fine."

"So I can sleep now?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, you can sleep, but I'll be waking you up every once in a while to check on you, alright?"

She rolled onto her back. "Alright. Thank you." her eyes closed and moments later, her steady breathing told the Doctor she was asleep.

He kissed her forehead then quietly exited the room.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Well here it is! The final chapter. I've decided to leave this series of stories as they are, a trilogy. So this is the final story. I hope you enjoyed it :) Thanks for all the support. It means a lot.**

The Doctor sighed, leaning back into his chair. He had been checking on Rose about twice and hour now, and she was doing fine. She slept soundly, except for the times he had awoken her, and the blow to her head had not been too severe. She was fine.

She was fine.

She was fine.

Why did he have to keep telling himself that? It wasn't as if he'd nearly lost her. It had been a very minor concussion. No big dead at all.

So why did he still feel so guilty?

But the Doctor knew the answer to that. It had been his fault. He had brought her there. He had put her in danger, just as he did on almost all of their travels together. She always said that she didn't mind - that she actually enjoyed the adventurous danger (on most occasions at least). But the Doctor felt guilt every time even the slightest thing happened. He sighed, knowing she wouldn't want him to fret, but he couldn't help it.

That was what happened when you loved someone.

The sound of footsteps broke into his thoughts. He looked up from where his gaze previously rested on the floor to find Rose walking towards him, rubbing one eye.

"Mornin'," she smiled.

The Doctor smiled back, then stood up, wrapping her in a hug. "Feeling better?"

She nodded. "Much."

Before he knew it, the Doctor was bombarding her with questions "No headache? Did you get nauseous at all? You dizzy? Stable? Still feel tired? Do you-"

"Oi!" she cut him off, then put a finger to his lips. "Fingers on lips!"

He couldn't resist a laugh. She really was fine. "You hungry?" he asked, and Rose shook her head.

"Not really. So, are we still on New Earth?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No. Just drifting in the Time Vortex. Safest place to be."

"But what about that man you needed to see? The one that was going to help you with your whole," she gestured to him, flopping her arms around. "Situation."

The Doctor looked away.

"What's his name? We should still try and find him." Rose insisted.

He sighed. "Rose, his name is Doctor Elliot Roads."

Her eyes stretched wide. "What?"

The Doctor nodded. "Matron warned me he may be a bit...you know. She never said he'd be dangerous though." he brought his gaze to the floor. "I-I guess she never got the chance to."

Rose gasped. "This is all my fault... If I hadn't-"

"Rose. No, this isn't your fault in any way." he gripped her shoulders. "Even if she would have told me, I still probably would have gone regardless. I wanted help... I didn't want to stay this way. Being like this, I'm no longer The Last Time Lord. I'm part human, which makes me not a true Gallifreyan. I hated that. I hated not being able to do anything about it..." he squeezed his eyes shut. "Sorry. I'm rambling again." He felt a soft hand grip his, and he opened his eyes to see Rose staring up at him with her big brown eyes. He squeezed her hand and forced a smile.

"We'll figure something out. You won't have to stay like this." She assured him, but the Doctor just shook his head again.

"No. Let me finish. Rose, my ambitions got in the way of what was important; your safety. I shouldn't have put you in danger like that. I-I'm sorry."

Rose grabbed his other hand. "Don't you dare apologise. You had no way of knowing what was coming, and I'm perfectly fine! He didn't hurt me. I was more scared for you than myself."

He drew in a shaky breath. "I know, and I know you weren't seriously hurt, but still..."

"Doctor, you can't always worry about me. Traveling with you... yeah. It's a bit dangerous sometimes! But it's worth it. I made my choice a long time ago, and I'm never gonna leave you. I'm not going anywhere. You're not gonna lose me, and there's no way I'm losing you." she smiled. "We're stuck with each other."

Her words brought reluctant tears to his eyes, but he couldn't resist a small laugh. "Yeah. I suppose we are."

"So. Do you have any other places in mind on where you can get some help? Surely there's got to be someone out there who's seen this happen."

He shook his head. "But that's not what I want anymore."

Rose raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I don't want to change back. I don't want to make it my life's goal to find a way to make myself fully Time Lord anymore. I'll grow to love the life of a part-human. Even if I don't quite fancy it now, I will in good time."

Happiness welled up inside Rose. Not just because this is what made _her _happy, but this was now what made _him _happy. "So what does this mean now?"

The Doctor's eyes shone, and he smiled, then wrapped his arms around Rose's waist, pulling her close to him. He kissed her passionately, feeling his own single heart skip a beat as he realised exactly what this meant. He rested her forehead on her's, their lips brushing, and he whispered softly.

"I've only got one life, Rose Tyler. Now I can spend it with you."

_The End_


End file.
